Deer seen behind a Washington Avenue home in Rutherford about two weeks ago.

A deer was struck, May 27 on Union Avenue before running to the yard of the Yereance-Woodward-Kettel House on Union Avenue in Rutherford where it died. Police were called to the scene around 4 p.m. after a motorist had hit the deer in front of Mama Rosa's Pizzeria. Police said the car was severely damaged. Police said another deer was hit and killed on Route 3 and in the area of Ridge Road the week of May 18, as well.

Rutherford Police wait for animal control after a deer was struck by a car and killed on Union Avenue. The deer was instead taken by a resident who will use it for venison meat.

The NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife contends there are more deer recorded today than any other time in history and that in New Jersey there are as many deer killed with vehicles as there are with guns and bows.

Two weeks ago deer sightings in the area of Washington Avenue, Rutherford, were posted on Facebook.

"They follow waterways, train tracks and make their way to the suburbs. Deer love the suburbs. There are no hunters, no predators like coyotes, and in suburbs there's a diverse habitat called edge," said Paul Tarlowe, Wildlife Education Specialist with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.

By definition, an edge is the intersection of two different habitat types. Examples include where the woods meet garden beds and then grassy lawn. Edges exist where three or more habitat types intersect.

The three issues with deer are motor vehicle accidents, Lyme disease from deer ticks and the annihilation of landscaping, said Tarlowe.

Sr. Animal Control Officer Carol Tyler of TYCO, Bergen County's animal control company, said she has seen deer deaths by motor vehicles increase drastically in her 25 years serving Bergen County. In the '80s, she would get about one dead deer a month, now she handles at least a dozen a week. And even more in the fall when the bucks are looking to mate and are rambunctious. The problem she says is overdevelopment that drives the deer out of forests and the meadows, and into areas with the lack of predators. The deer also don't see humans as predators. Therefore, they have adapted more readily to populated areas.

"Deer are prolific breeders. When there are no predators, they go unchecked. Where they are hunted they are checked," Tyler said. Hunting deer in Bergen County is illegal. In Sussex where hunting is legal, about 4,000 were killed by hunters last year thereby reducing both current population and future populations. Fewer deer means fewer babies.

Although animal control was called for removal of the deer killed on Union Avenue, it was taken by a resident, Chief John Russo said.

"The deer was removed prior to our animal control responding to the scene. Venison is a healthy alternative to beef, which is not currently in season, and otherwise not readily available," said Russo.

Tarlowe said deer-kill permits are popular and useful tactics not only to rid the roadway of the animal but also to put venison on the table especially in off-hunting season.

The NJ law reads: "Deer accidentally killed by motor vehicles may be possessed only for private consumption by obtaining a free permit from the local police department or from a Fish and Wildlife regional law enforcement office. The permit authorizes only possession of the meat for consumption and is valid only for 90 days. The possession of all other parts such as antlers, under terms of this permit, is expressly prohibited. Wrapped venison packages must be labeled with the permit number."

Last week a town meeting on the deer population was held in Allendale with Carole Stanko, a wildlife biologist with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife who advocated for a deer hunt in Bergen County.

She challenged Allendale to be the trendsetters in Bergen County - the first town to have a deer management program and allow hunting.

"I think we've reached critical mass here with the deer overabundance issue," Stanko said. "An un-hunted deer population with no predators has potential to double every year. The first township or property that is the one to pull the trigger - pun intended - everybody will see its success. People can garden again, fewer deer are killed with automobiles, Lyme, tick-borne diseases are reduced. A safe hunt doesn't mean the town turns into Wild West, and when they see success I believe other towns will get in line and get on the bandwagon. We have not declared a war on deer, we've declared a war on imbalance."

Stanko says many of the towns that do the hunts donate the deer meat to Hunters Helping the Hungry - a nonprofit that gets the meat to soup kitchens.